Method of and apparatus for atomizing, &amp;c.



A. SALA.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ATOMIZING, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED MARJB, 1907. Patented July 13, 1909.

' vweu vlioz v m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTENOR SALA, or MEXICO, MEXICO.

3 METHOD OF D APPARATUS FOR ATOMIZING, 85c.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AN'r NoR SALA, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico, residingat the city of Mexico, Republic of Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Atomizing, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to methods and means for atomizing or vaporizing liquids, and also to means for spraying liquids and other materials.

The principal object of my invention is to readily and instantly atomize or convert liquidsinto vapor by physical means, and also to direct and eject the atomized liquid or vilpor at any place .where desired.

Another object of said invention is to pro vide an atomizing and spraying apparatus that may be charged and operated so as to atomize or spray continuously, and in which the atomizing or spraying may be main lained practically constant and uniform at any' desired working pressure. Also to per'-- mitthe simultaneous atomizing or spraying of different materials from the same outlet; and also to provide means for stirring the material or materials in its or their receptacles whenever desired.

1 have discovered from practical experionce, that liquids may be instantly atomized or converted into vapor, by uniting the liquid during its passage in a passage way with an acriform agent under pressure traveling in the same direction, so that said liquid and agent will unite and be ejected from the outlet of the passage way in the form of vapor or atomized.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 illustratesin perspective one embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the objects of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modification in detail.

Similar numbers indicate like parts in both figures. y

The apparatus may be operated by means of any suitable motor or engine (notshown') from which the power is transmitted to a driving wheel or pulley 1, as for example, by a driving belt. 2.

3, 3 represent force pumps, each connected by a pipe 4 with one of the receptacles 5, of

the material or materials to be atomized and I by pipes (3 with pipes 7, each having a cock 8, and check valve 9, and each of said plpes T alsobemg connected w th an an tight Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1907.

the pumpsare operated by this means.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Serial No. 362,624.

tank 10. Branches 11 of the pipes 7 enter said receptacles 5 and with their open ends preferably near the bottom of the receptacles, as shown in dotted lines. The passages in these branch pipes 11 are each controlled by a cock 12, which when opened permits the return of the material to'said receptacles 5. Air compression pumps 13 communi ate by pipes 14, 15 with a. compressed air reservoir 16, entering the said reservoir preferably near the bottom. The piston rods of the pumps 3 and 13 are connected with eccentrics or cranks on the shaft 17 of the pulley 1, and The air reservoir 16 is provided with a gage 18 and a safety valve or tap valve 19, which 22, each pipe 28 having cocks 2t), 29 and a check valve 30 and uniting at a point 31 with one of said outlet pipes 24, which latter convey the material to be atomized from the tanks 10. The common passageways from the tanks 10 and for compressed air, may

unite at 32 and lead from there by means of a pipe or hose 33 (of any desired length) to the outlet nozzle 34. Said pipe is provided with a cock There may be two or more of the outlet nozzles, each conmated by a length of hose at a point 36 to one of the passageways 31, in case it is desired to atomize independently two or more materials at the same time.

The operation of the apparatus as an I atomizer is as follows: The driving shaft 17 being put inmotion, the air compressed by the pumps13 is forced into the reservoir 16 until the proper pressure is indicated by .the gage 18, the outlet from said reservoir being closedup to this time. The pressure above referred .to should be considered that above atmospheric pressure. The cocks 23' in the pipes 22 are then opened, and the compressed air from the reservoir 16 will pass into the tanks 10, the cocks 25 in the outlet pipes 24 being closed while the tanks are being charged with the compressed air. \Vl1er1 tl1e pressure in the tanks 10 has reached a point somewhat below the desired working pressure, as will be indicated by gages 26, the cocks 23 are closed, thus shutting off the compressed air from reservoir 16' At the same time the cocks 12 are opened and cocks 8 closed; they have thus far permitted the material pumped by the force pumps to return to the receptacles 5, and thus stir up the materials in said receptacles. The cocks 8 are opened at the same time, the cocks 12 are closed, and the material now forced by the pumps through pipes 7, accumulates in the lower part of the tanks 10, increasing the pressures of the air therein. Meanwhile the pressure in the reservoir 16 has increased to a point deter- ,mined by the regulation of the valve 19.

When the desired working pressure is attained in air tight tanks 10 and air reservoir 16, with the pressure in said tanks 10 greater than that in reservoir 16 the cocks 25 in the outlet pipes 24 from tanks 10, and the cocks 29, 29 in the pipes 22 are all opened, and the material from tanks 10 mixed with air from reservoir 16, and both under the desired working pressure, issue'from the nozzle 34 in an extremely, finely, divided or atomized condition, and under the control of the operator by means of cock 35. The air does not issue from the said tanks together with the paint or material to be atomized, but is behind said material or materials forcing them through the pipes 241, 33, to the outlet nozzle. 1 The nozzle may be dispensed with, and the atomizing will still take place.

During the atomizing operation of the apparatus, the pressure on the tanks 10 should be enough greater than that in the reservoir 16, so that the liquids from said tanks will not travel at a less rate than the compressed air emerging from the reservoir 16 and so that the said air and liquid will intimately commingle, (the air breaking .up and separatin' the liquid into fine particles) and trave together at about the same rate of speed through the common passageway 32 and 33 and from thenozzle 34:. A greater pressure will be required in the tanks 10 than in the reservoir 16, because the compressed air in the tanks has to force the liquid ahead of it from said tanks, while the compressed air fromv the reservoir to the passageway 32 has nothing to force ahead of it nor to retard its pro ress. The assageway for the commingle compresse air and liquid from the tanks, consisting of the common passageway 32 and long pipe 33, will cause said commingled air and liquid to assume a concentrated form, and great speed before issuing from the outlet and to he suddenly ejected, so that the material as it issues from the outlet, will be air and finely divided liquid, both under high pressure, and so that said material will be immediately turned into and shot away from the outlet in the form of vapor, and to a considerable distance: and this result will be accomplished whether the ejecting nozzle be used or not. It will be understood that the same charge of air remains, therefore, in the air tight tanks 10, during the entire operation of the apparatus, at any working pressure, and that this pressure is maintained by pumping the material or materials into said tanks 10, and air in reservoir 16 at a rateapproximately equal to that at which they leave these tanks and air reservoir, by the pipes 24, 28 and passageways or pipes-33 leading to the outlet nozzle or nozzles.

When the desired working pressure is excharged with a different material; different I materials, therefore, may be atomized at the I same time, the operation of the apparatus being the same, excepting that more than one connectin hose are used. The regulatlon of the rate of pumping material may be effected by regulating the speed of the force pumps, so that the pressure remains constant, as shown by the gages 18 and 26. This may also be done automatically by shown in Fig. 2. This modification consists only in the substitution of regulating valves for the cocks 12, or in addition thereto, said cocks being open., We have shown only one of these valves, 37. It is controlled by the spring 38, the stem of the valve passing loosely through the nut 39 screwed into the casing 40, the pressure of the spring against substituting a modification as the valve being regulated by screwing the nut in either direction. As soon as the desired worklng pressure 1s exceeded, the Valve opens and permits the material to flow back through the pipe 11 into the receptacle. The cocks 8 in pipes 7 may remain open continually, and material will flow into the air tight tanks 10 when and only when the pressure therein falls below the desired working pressure. At all other times, that is, whenever the desired working pressure is exceeded, some of the material will flow back into re- 1 and 1, a tube 41 connected to the outlet 20, and provided with a cock 42. The compressed air passing from the reservoir 16 through the pipe 41, may be used for an air blast for driving a motor, or operating any mechanism for which compressed air is adapted. Also outlets from the tanks 10 for the compressed air are shown at 43, and provided with ordinary stop cocks 4: 1. i

From the'above it ,will be seen that my invention is capable of causing the most effective atomizing of the material and especially by reason of the-compressed air, gas, steam or other compressible and expansible aeriform agent commingling with the material discharging from the atomizing outlet or nozzle.

My apparatus as thus described is onethat is adapted for atoinizing two or more different materials at the same time. It is evident that it may be used for one material only and that all but one set of receptacles, force and air pumps, air tight tanks, communicating pipes, valves, cocks, etc, may be disconnected or even dispensed with, without altering the working principles of my apparatus; and also that there may be more than two sets of the said receptacles, pumps, tanks, etc., and more than two outlet nozzles connected therewith. Two or more materials may also be united in the common passageway leading to the atomizing nozzles,

is based upon the principle that thorough or actual atomization is accomplished by uniting said hquid with an aeriform agent both under pressure and both traveling in the same direction, and then ejecting them together from the same outlet. Any aeriform agent under pressure may be used,

as for example, compressed air, or steam, but I prefer to use compressed a1r especially on account of its accessibility and economy.

If it be desired to utilize the apparatus for ejecting the liquid or other material either in the form of a spray or otherwise, but not to atomize it, this,ean be accomplished by shutting off all communication between the main passage or passages 31 and the supply pipes 28, by means of the cocks 29. The aeriform agent will then be prevented t'rom uniting with the liquid in its passage way to the outlet, said agent being used to eject the material from behind, and

the material will thus be forced from the outlet either in the form of a stream or jet, or in the form of spray.

I do not limit myself to the precise method construction herein described and shown, as many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of .my invention or sacrificing its principal advantages.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The improved method of atomi zing or vaporizing liquids, consisting incausing a liquid and an aeriform agent'eaeh to travel under a pressure greater than gravity or atmospheric through separate passages by means of separate and independent sources of pressure for said liquid and agent respectively, and then causing said liquid and agent to unite and continue to travel under said pressures through a laterally confining passageway having a length manyrtimes its width, whereby the said liquid and agent are intimately commingled, and causing them to be ejected from said passageway.

2. The improved method of atbmizing or vaporizing liquids, consisting in causing a liquid and anaeriform agent each to travel under a pressure greater than gravity or atmospheric through separate passages by means of separate and independent sources of pressure for said liquid and agent respcctively, and the pressure on the liquid being greater than that on said agent, and then causing said liquid and agent to unite and continue to travel under said pressures through a laterally confining passageway having a length many times its width, whereby the said liquid and agent are intimately commingled, and causing them to be ejected from said passageway.

3. The improved method of atomizing or vaporizing liquids, consisting in forcing a column of liquid through a passageway by the expansion behind it of a compressed aeriform agent, causing .a column of anacriform agent to travel under pressure greater than atmospheric through another passageway, and by a separate source of pressure from that for the liquid, uniting said two columns and causing them to travel together under said pressures through a laterally confining passageway having a length many times its width, whereby the said liquid and agent are intimately 'commingled, and causing them to be ejected from said passageway.

4. The improved method of atomizing or vaporizing liquids, consisting in forcing a column of liquid through a passageway by the expansion behind it of a compressed acriform agent, causing a column of an aeriform agent to travel under pressure greater than atn'iospherie through another passageway by a separate source of, and less pressure than' that on the liquid, uniting said two columns and causing them to travel to ether under said pressures through a'latera lly confining passageway having a length many times its width, whereby the said liquid and agent are intimately commingled, and causing them to be ejected from said passageway.

5. An apparatus for atomizing or vaporizing paint and other liquids, comprising a main laterally confining passageway having alength many times its width, and an outlet at one end, separate passages uniting in said main passage at' its other end, means for forcing by pressure 'anaeriform agent through one of said separate passages and the main passageway, and separate and independent means for forcing a liquid by pressure greater than atmospheric-or gravity through another separate passage and the main passageway, whereby said agent and liquid will unite, travel together under pressure, and be-intimately commin led in said main passageway, and be ejecte therefrom in the form of vapor.

6. An apparatus for atomizing or vaporizing paint and other liquids comprising a main laterally confining passageway having a length many times its width, and an outlet at one end, separate passages uniting in said mainpassage at its other end, means for forcing by pressure an aeriform agent through one of said separate passages and the main passageway, and separate and independent means for forcing a liquid by pressure greater than atmospheric or gravity through another separate passage and the main assageway, and-the pressure on the liquid eing greater than that on said agent,

whereby said agent and liquid will unite to travel under pressure and be intimately 'commingled in said main passageway and tube at a material distance from said outlet,-

' one of said be ejected therefrom in the form of vapor.

7 In an apparatus for applying paint and similar materlals, the combination of a flexible tube of considerable length and relatively small cross-section and having an ejecting outlet, separate passageways unitin in said 4 with said forcing means for stirring the material in said receptacle.

9. In an apparatus for applying paint and similar mater als, the combination of a main passage having a length many times its width, two passageways connecting with said passage approximately at its other end, an air tight tank for said material connected to passageways, a source 'of compressed aeri orm agent connected to. the

other of said passageways, means'for regulating the pressure in said tank and independent means for regulating the pressure on said aeriform agent. 1 10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of an air tight tank, means for supplying an expansible aeriform agent to said tank, an inlet to said tank, means for forcing liquid material through said inlet and into said tank, an outlet passage from said bank having an ejecting outlet at one end, and a passageway for conveyingsaid agent from a different source ofsupply than said tank to said outlet passage at a material distance from its outlet..-

11. In'an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of an air tight tank, means 1 for supplying an expansible aeriform agent to said tank, an inlet to said tank, means for forcing liquid material through said inlet and into said tank, an outlet passage from said tank having an ejecting nozzle at its end, and apassageway for conveying said agent from a difierent source of supply than said tank to said outlet passage at a material distance from its outlet.

12. An apparatus of the class .described, consisting of a plurality of air or gas tight tanks, means for supplying an expansible aeriform agent to said tanks, an inlet to each of said tanks, means for forcing liquid or other material through said inlets into said tanks, an outlet passage of considerable length and small cross section between said tanks and the ejecting outlet, and a passageway for conveying said agent from a different source of supply than said tanks to said outlet passage at a material distance from its outlet.

13. An apparatus of the class described, consistin of an air or gas tight tank, means for supp ying an expansible aeriform agent'- to said-tank, an inlet to said tank, means for forcing liquid or'other material through said inlet and into said tank, an outlet passage between said tank and the ejecting outlet,

means for indicating the pressure on said material, and means for re pressure, and a passageway or conveying said agent from a different source of supply than said tank to said outlet passage, at a material distance from its outlet.

14. In an apparatus of the class described,

assageway uniting said lating said passages and thee ecting outlet, means for forcing the material through said assages, passageways and outlet and means or automatically regulating the pressure on said material.

a 15. An apparatus of the class described,

consisting of an air or gas tight tank, means for supplying an expansible aeriform agent, to said tank; an inlet to said tank, means for 1'5 forcing liquid or other material through said inlet and into said tank, an outlet passage of considerable length and small crosssection between said tank and the ejecting outlet, means for automatically regulating the pressure onsaid liquid or other material, and a passageway for conveying said agent froma different source of supply than said tank to said outlet passage at a material distapes from its outlet. i

16. An apparatus of the class described consisting of a plurality of passages for the material to be ejected, a common passageway of considerable length and small crosssection, uniting said passages and the ejecting outlet, means for forcing the material through said passages, passageway and outlet, and means for automatically regulating the pressure or force on said, material.

17. An apparatus of the class described consisting of an air tight tank, means for supplying compressed a1r to said tank, a re ceptacle for liquid or other material, a passageway leading from said receptacle into said tank, a controlling valve in said passageway, an outlet passage of considerable length and small cross-section between said tank and the ejecting outlet, and means for regulating the pressure on said material in said tank, and also for regulating said valve, all as and for the purposes set forth.

18. An apparatus of the class described consisting of an air tight tank, a compressed air reservoir, a passage way from said reservoir to said tank through which compressed air is supplied to said tank, an outlet passage between said tank and the ejecting outlet, an outlet passage from said reservoir communicating with the outlet passage from the tank all as and for the purposes set forth.

19. In an apparatus of the class described, an air pump, for supplying compressed air to the passa e way to the ejecting outlet, a force pump lor supplying the material to be ejected to said passage way, and the pistons of both the air pump and the force pump operated by cranks on the same shaft. 20. An apparatus of the class described consisting of a plurality of, air tight tanks, a compressed air reservoir and passa e Ways between said reservoir and tanks or conducting the compressed air in said tanks, outlet passages from said tanks, passage ways from said reservoir communicating with said outlet passages, said outlet pas sages uniting in a common passage way leading to the ejecting outlet, air pumps for forcing compressed air into said reservoir, a plurality of receptacles for the material to be ejected, a plurality of force pumps communicating respectively with the receptacles and with said tanks for forcing the materials in said tanks, and means for regulati'ng the pressure on the material in said tanks all as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

ANTENOR SAlt A. Witnesses: 3

HERMAN J. TEUFER, EDWIN SEGER. 

